Shapsugs’ Ethnic Interests in Recreational Development Trends of the Black Sea Region

Defining the Sphere of Ethnic Interests", "Legal Aspects of Native Interaction with Environmental Organizations" and "The Shapsugs and the Sochi National Park".Together, these sections explore the prospects and risks associated with integrating Shapsug ethnic economic sectors into regional recreational development programs.The primary source for this study is data from an ethno-sociological survey conducted in six Shapsug villages, commissioned by the Sochi City Administration.The fieldwork focused on two key social trends: 1) the development dynamics of ethnic forms of entrepreneurship and their integration into the recreational municipal economy sector; 2) the Shapsugs' negative perceptions of the activities of "external" business entities.The research identified the Sochi National Park as a significant destabilizing factor in the region's ethnosocial landscape.The study's findings revealed two main population responses: 1) the preservation of traditional social institutions in resistance to external business influences; 2) the consolidation of local communities around rural self-government initiatives aimed at maintaining their status as an indigenous minority and preserving traditional forms of environmental management as elements of their cultural heritage.